China manufacturing industry moves toward intelligent, innovative and high-end

China has recently released 11 guidelines for implementing the "Made in China 2025" strategy, identifying smart manufacturing, branding and high-end equipment as the core of the plan.

During the ongoing session of the top legislature, the role of this strategy in boosting the country's competitiveness is still a hot topic among deputies.

In this year's government work report, Chinese premier Li Keqiang said the country will intensify efforts to push forward the Made in China 2025 initiative.

"We'll work hard on the implementation of projects to build a robust foundation for industrial development and projects in developing and making major equipment, and we'll make a big push to develop advanced manufacturing, thus moving toward mid- and high-end manufacturing. We'll improve policies to turn China into a manufacturer of quality," said Li.

Chen Fengying, a researcher from China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, says breakthroughs have been achieved in brand recognition and quality.

But how to apply new technologies into the production, management and marketing models is crucial for the next step.

"We have established manufacturing innovation centers across the country, which is important to the enhancement of smart manufacturing," said Chen. "And this year, around 25 more centers will be set up to reach a more comprehensive nationwide layout. We also carried out several remarkable intelligent manufacturing projects with the world leading position, such as the key technologies in realizing robot intelligence."

Based in Xuzhou, XCMG Group is a Chinese heavy machinery manufacturing company, ranking 5th in the world's construction machinery industry.

Vice Director of XCMG Group Yan Lijuan [Photo: China Plus]

Company Vice Director Yan Lijuan says the real economy is the cornerstone of China's development, and the manufacturing industry is the core of the real economy.

"The revitalization of the real economy is in close relation with the realization of the Chinese dream. To implement the initiative, our company aims to become top-3 in the global engineering machine industry by 2025. We have implemented sound measures to make sure our equipment manufacturing skills are developing toward the high-end level, and our products can compete in the world market. We also pour money and efforts into innovation, quality improvement and personnel training," said Yan Lijuan.

Deputy Yan Chengzhong from east China's Shanghai [Photo: China Plus]

Deputy Yan Chengzhong, a professor of Donghua University in Shanghai, said the upgrading of the manufacturing sector needs advanced talents.

He called for deeper reforms for the higher education system.

"This time, one of my suggestions will concerning with how to re-educate or retrain our BA degree graduates," said Yan Chengzhong. "It also needs policy leading, because so far, we don't have a systematic policy design for the big nation skill masters in manufacturing. How could they really enjoy good rewarding and social positions? So I believe the central government will realize this is something really substantial."